Notebooks

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Make a note of it For my mother, life without lists would be unmanageable. In recent years, I’ve found that I share her need for written reminders. Whether you’ve got a hectic life, or just a sieve for a brain, having a handy book at the ready for phone numbers, to-do lists, or wee poems and ideas, can be the difference between productivity and chaos. Here are two simple notebooks that you can make out of scrap paper – choose between popart inspired Tetra Pak and a traditional Chinese bookbinding method.

SCAVENGING YOUR MATERIALS Stack of used A4 paper NOTEBOOK NO. 1: Fabric for the covers (bigger than A6) Embroidery floss Glue (PVA, flour paste or fabric glue) NOTEBOOK NO. 2: Tetra Pak Plastic binder comb

TOOLS YOU’RE GOING TO NEED Scissors NOTEBOOK NO. 1: Brush for glue

Notebook No. 1: Fabric-covered diary By Jiang (Jan) Yinghua and Sabine Schneider

Awl (or similar hand tool for piercing holes) Paper knife or smallish kitchen knife Sturdy needle NOTEBOOK NO. 2: Comb binding machine Steel ruler

PHOTO BY KATE MACPHERSON

Craft knife

This method of binding originated in China, but quickly spread from there to other Asian countries, such as Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore. Outside of China, the notebooks were covered in paper. For this one we're using fabric, but feel free to experiment with paper if you like. The fabric should be reasonably thin, an old shirt will do, or scraps from a sewing project. If you have to buy some, go to a fabric shop and ask for the remnant bin or fat quarters for quilting. We’ve used an old tea-tray liner for the one shown here, so feel free to get creative.

$5ish SKILL

SPEED

COST

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Choose embroidery floss in a contrasting colour, a matching hue or use a creamy off-white for a natural look. Embroidery floss can often be found in second-hand shops. 1. Fold six sheets of A4 paper in half using the short sides. 2. Using a knife, cut paper along fold

FIG 1.

3. Fold sheets in half – again using the short sides. If you’re using

second-hand paper, make sure the blank side is facing outwards. FIG 1

FIG 6

4. Place a folded sheet of paper on your fabric and trim with

scissors so fabric is about 1cm larger than paper off the corners.

FIG 2.

Cut

5. Starting with short sides, apply glue and fold fabric over.

Press and repeat until all four sides are folded front cover is now done.

FIG 3.

The

6. Repeat with back cover.

FIG 7

7. Place remaining folded sheets between covers – with folds FIG 2

15. Sew corner: Leading thread around the spine of your notebook,

pointing to the right of the notebook, open sides of paper to the left.

push needle through corner hole from front to back. Then, leading thread around the top of your notebook and using the corner hole again, push needle from front to back. Push needle through first hole from back to front. The top corner is done. Using the next hole – the one where the beginning of your thread sticks out – push needle through from front to back FIG 9.

8. Using a ruler, mark seven holes along the left side of the

notebook: Two of the holes should be 1cm in from the left edge, as well as top and bottom. A further three should be evenly spaced between the first two and also about 1cm away from the left edge. A final two should be 5mm in from left edge and top and bottom FIG 4. FIG 3

16. Then, using the third hole from top, push needle through

from back to front. Leading thread around the spine of your notebook, push needle through the same hole from back to front. Don’t worry about the gaps, they will be closed soon.

FIG 8

9. Make holes with the punch, holding the notebook firmly so

paper and covers don’t slide.

17. Using the fourth hole, push needle through from front to

10. Cut your embroidery floss – you should have six times the

back. Leading thread around the spine of notebook, push needle through the same hole from front to back again.

length of your notebook. An easy way of measuring this is to wind it lengthwise around the notebook.

18. Using fifth hole from top, push needle through from back to

11. Starting at the second hole from top and holding the end of FIG 4

your thread, push needle through from front to back

FIG 5.

FIG 9

12. Still holding the thread with your thumb, push needle

through the same hole – again from front to back

front. Leading thread around the spine of notebook, push needle through the same hole from back to front. 19. Sew bottom corner: Leading thread around the bottom of your

FIG 6.

notebook, push needle through the same hole, from back to front. Push needle through corner hole – front to back.

13. Push needle through first hole from top – from back to front FIG 7. Leading thread the spine of your notebook, push needle through the same hole, again, from back to front. Then, leading thread around the top of your notebook and using the same hole, push needle from back to front again. FIG 5

14. Push needle through corner hole – front to back

FIG 8.



FIG 10

Leading thread around the spine of your notebook, push needle through corner hole from front to back. Then, leading thread around the top of your notebook and using the corner hole again, push needle from front to back. Push needle through fifth hole from back to front. Push needle through fourth hole – from front to back.

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20. Closing gaps: Push needle through third hole

– from back to front. Push needle through second hole – from front to back, but don’t pull thread through completely. Leave it a bit slack. Now loosen the beginning of your thread by pulling about 5mm of it through the hole. 21. Apply a tiny drop of glue to the front of your

second hole. Then pull threads tight. The glue will be pulled into the hole, securing the beginning and end of your thread FIG 10. 22. Snip off ends at front and back of second hole. Sabine and Jan are enthusiastic crafters and love beautiful handmade things, from furniture to mittens, coffee mugs to hand cream, sourdough bread to hand-bound diaries. They believe in re-using goodquality materials and hope this little notebook will find its way into many handbags and back pockets.

Notebook No. 2: A juicy read By Tara Robertson Unfortunately Tetra Paks are not recyclable in most of New Zealand. Here’s a great, quick project to re-use computer paper and old juice packs to make bright and colourful books or notepads. You'll need access to a binding machine – many office workplaces have these, so see if you can borrow one. Otherwise a stationary or copy store, like Office Max or Warehouse Stationary might have one that you can use there.

PHOTO BY KATE MACPHERSON

1. Cut the top and bottom off the Tetra Pak. Do

this over the sink, as there will be a bit of juice left in the fold of the tetra pak. I like to keep the plastic juice spout attached, but you can cut it off if you prefer.

4. Fold the used A4 paper in halves, with the

printed side on the inside. The amount of paper you need to fold will depend on the size of your plastic binder comb. Bigger comb = more paper = bigger book. 5. Stack your book, so you can be sure which

side you’re punching holes in. The edges of the A4 paper will be facing the left (and be bound), and the creased side will face the right. 6. Get someone to show you how to use the

binding machine. They’re not difficult to use, but the first time they can be a bit confusing. Generally the arm or lever goes one way to punch holes, and the other way to unfurl the binding combs. 7. Punch holes in the covers, and along the edges

of the paper. With most binding machines you can’t punch holes in more than ten sheets of paper, which is the same as five sheets folded in half. Go easy on the binding machine, trying to stuff more paper in to save time will likely result in stuffing up the machine. 8. Use the machine to unfurl the binding comb,

and put the cover, inside sheets, and the other cover on the binding comb. For the inside sheets, you’ll have to put them on a bit at a time. If you make sure the binding comb goes through all the holes the final book will look neater. 9. If the binding comb is too long, trim it

carefully with scissors. After you’ve finished binding, use a steel ruler and a craft knife to neaten the top and bottom of your notebook - don't trim the outer edge though, or you'll cut off the folded edges. Tara Robertson is a crafty, queer, geeky

2. Wash and dry the inside of the Tetra Pak well.

librarian who likes to ride her bike. She recently

3. For a large book, cut the Tetra Pak in half.

passionate about open source software, social justice,

Fold the Tetra Pak in half and crease well. Use the crease lines as guides to cut.

moved to Wellington from Vancouver, Canada. Tara is and finding the perfect shade of red lipstick. She has a big mouth, a big butt, and a big heart.